


How Did We Get Here?

by desperationandgin



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-21
Updated: 2015-10-21
Packaged: 2018-04-27 11:46:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5047285
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/desperationandgin/pseuds/desperationandgin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A short AU take on how the group got back to Storybrooke after six weeks in Camelot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How Did We Get Here?

She would give and give for them, bleed for them, go mad for them. Stand in front of the new Dark One, between he and Roland and Emma.

He watches as red and white mix with black and the sound is like cracks of thunder, the loudest one making Roland scream in fright and bury his face in Robin’s neck. He thinks he can hear Regina screaming too, the agony of dark magic ripping her apart, finally getting its full meal after tantalizing tastes. But when she turns, when the whiplash jerks her around to face Robin, their eyes meet, her hair floating in the air around her in gossamer strands. An image strikes him, of Regina’s hair spread out on a pillow covered by a cream colored case, the dark strands a stark contrast as his fingers glide through it. And then the vision is gone as sudden swirls of purple appear to mingle with the dark as she holds his gaze, watches his face. Hers contorts with effort and pain that’s searing hot, he can see it in the tension of her neck, the vein in her forehead.

She’s trying. For him, she’s trying. Emma is cursing them all to someplace far away, everyone but Henry, and Regina is fighting. He’s not selfish enough to think it’s actually  _for_  him, he knows it’s for all of them, but in this singular moment, as she watches him cradling Roland to his chest with a protective hand over his head, he knows that she is trying to pull strength from him. He searches his mind for anything that may help though words seem paltry. But he remembers the last time he was able to watch her do battle with light magic, and he says the first thing that comes to mind, yells it to be heard over the noise.

“I’ve got your heart, Regina.”

It’s different now; he’s not physically holding it, but he’s got it. If this darkness destroys her, if Emma takes her down in whatever curse this is. If they’re separated by realms, he has her heart. He always will.

The purple seems to come from inside of her, radiating out and shining brighter, the courtyard of Camelot lit up as if by thousands of torches. Emma - the true Dark One now, embraced and cradled by darkness - screams and yells, white light sparking from Regina’s fingertips. The others are there now, too late, too late to save anyone, watching in horror as the two who once saved each other are now pitted in a fight. One wants this curse to twist and destroy and the other is only trying to soften its blow. All any of them can do now is watch in horror, David clinging to Snow, Henry on the other side of Robin and holding onto him tightly.

He sees Regina’s smile for only a second but it’s filled with a million reassurances, three words she’s yet to say, and then she wrenches her body around, white, light magic hitting Emma square in the chest that sends both of them soaring in opposite directions. His scream is caught in his throat, and Robin watches as the smoke of the curse envelopes them all.

Cool tile rests under his head.

“You’re squishin’ me,” comes a small voice, and Robin shifts, Roland scooting out from under him. It’s dark, but after blinking a few times it’s apparent where they are: Granny’s Diner. Not in the forest, but in its proper home. A quick glance around and there she is, Regina on hands and knees, and he reaches for her, trying to help her to her feet. Her skin is too hot, he thinks, but he steadies her on her feet as everyone looks around, questioning, realizing that something simply isn’t right.

“We’re back.”


End file.
